Life in a Contemporary Collective: Unveiling Personal Snapshots from an Off-Grid Community

The Runnymede eco-village, a self-sustaining community located 20 miles west of London, England, is facing eviction after six years of occupation. The land, owned by Heathrow Airport Holdings, has been the home to the Diggers since 2012.

The Diggers, a group of squatters, have been growing their own food, using solar energy, and keeping animals on the site. They have also been supplementing their food supply from grocery bins when necessary. The community prides itself on sharing meals, tools, and contributing to chores such as cleaning, gardening, and scouting for recyclable materials.

In April 2015, a district judge granted an adjournment after landowner representatives asked for an order for possession of the land, citing trespassing as the grounds. The Diggers argued that their removal would breach human rights and was not lawful. Peter Phoenix, a Digger, cited articles from the Human Rights Act as his defense in court proceedings. However, the authority of the verbal agreement, if it existed, has since been squashed in court.

The eco-village is located near the Magna Carta, a historically significant site associated with protecting individual liberties. The Diggers find the eviction ironic, given the association. Myriam Stacey, acting for the property owners, stated that the site is significant due to its proximity to the Magna Carta.

This is not the first time the eco-village residents have been served an eviction notice. In the past, the Diggers maintained that they had a verbal agreement with a site security guard allowing them to stay on the land, but this agreement was not upheld in court.

Daniella Zalcman, a photographer, took photos of the eco-village for Photoshelter. One photo depicts a cozy end to the day at the eco-village, while another shows Lisa practicing hula hoop skills. Lillie, a frequent camp visitor, was also captured working on her homework at the eco-village.

The Diggers make trips to visit other eco-communities to learn new skills and share their own. Approximately 40 residents of Runnymede are being evicted at the behest of the Runnymede property developer and the Magna Carta celebration committee.

The eco-village residents were later denied an appeal at a county court. The future of the Runnymede eco-village remains uncertain, but the community continues to stand strong in the face of adversity.

Life in a Contemporary Collective: Unveiling Personal Snapshots from an Off-Grid Community